Capital’s hospitals treating 700 pollen allergy patients daily

ISLAMABAD - Capital hospitals are receiving more than 700 patients a day, as the pollen count in the city has reached its peak.
Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), which is treating as many as 400 patients per day, has established 29 treatment points in its emergency department which are provided with oxygen cylinders and nebulizers. The hospital’s Outdoor Patients Department (OPD) and Filter Clinic are also providing treatment to the allergy patients.
Similarly, National Institute of Health (NIH) and Polyclinic are also receiving as many as 300 patients collectively.
However, Rehana Kausar, Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonology, PIMS, claims that the situation is quite better this year. “A considerable decrease in number of pollen allergy patients has been occurred this year�, Rehana told while talking to TheNation on Monday.
She said that last year the hospital received more than 800 patients a day during the peak of allergy season.
She said the Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s campaign against the male paper mulberry species was a great help in reducing the pollen count, thus reducing the number of patients. Also, she said, ‘blocking treatment’ PIMS was providing to the patients had reduced the number of patients as compared to the last year.
Explaining the particular treatment, Professor Rehana explained that last year they started categorising patients into four groups in terms of the intensity of the allergy.
She said the patients are being directed to consult the hospital before the onset of the allergy season so that they are administered preventive treatment.
The ‘blocking treatment’, she said, has thus greatly helped in early recovery of the patients and reducing their number, too.
She said during the current year, PIMS was receiving only 60 to 70 patients a day. However, she said, a sharp upsurge was witnessed since last ten days.